--------------"But it's disturbing to think someone actually thinks creationism -- having put it's hand on the hot stove every day for the last 400 years -- will get a different result tomorrow." -- midwifetoad

What brand smoker is that? I have a small Cookshack smoker that I use on occasion. The best thing I ever did in it was to smoke a 6 pound prime rib with peach wood.

--------------It's natural to be curious about our world, but the scientific method is just one theory about how to best understand it. We live in a democracy, which means we should treat every theory equally. - Steven Colbert, I Am America (and So Can You!)

I just wanted to mention (probably not for the first time, sorry) that several of us occasionally get together for drinks at the 74th St. Alehouse in Seattle (N. 74th St., d'oh, and Greenwood Ave. N, in the Greenwood, d'oh, - Green Lake neighborhood).

Some of us on this board (JohnW and others) used to do the same thing, several years back.

Any Seattle-area AtBCers are ALWAYS welcome to join us in our current version of this floating drink-fest.

When I have sufficient notice ahead of time, I'll try to post an invite in this column (or whatever drinking-related thread is closest to the top of the heap).

It's usually me, RAFH (Robot Architect From Hell, who used to post in the Davey Hawkins' fludde threads, if memory serves -- which it probably doesn't), our young friend ericv00 from the now-defunct Dawkins forum and Talk Rational forum, and maybe Wolfhound (though she hasn't actually made it to the 74th yet, but to our alternate venue down in Kent...).

Anyway, I'll try to let y'all know!

Now that I have become present again in this iniquitous den, I hope to hear of your next get together, and, um, join in. Thanks!

I took my wife to Le Gourmand for her birthday last night, where we had local mussels in a wine sauce with nasturtiums; a composed salad of local greens, asparagus, endive, radicchio, more; I had wild salmon wrapped in grape leaf with their signature gooseberry and dill sauce (the gooseberries coming from the owner/chef's personal garden just down the road), while the love of my life had duck breast in a smoky morel sauce. My dessert was eastern Washington strawberries with rum-soaked cake and an amazing vanilla ice cream, while the girl I gave up Lent for had a pistachio cake with yoghurt sorbet and some kind of sauce.

We had a bottle of wine, what it was I can't remember, but it was French! Yeah, that's it, and from 2002! The kicker was having grappa as a digestif after it all, from a third generation grappa maker whose grandfather made straw hats but had a still on a cart that he would take around to the farmers for their skins, pits and stems. It was the first grappa my heart's desire had ever had. Ohhh, did her eyes light from the delicate rocket fuel.

No point to this, except to note that the 3.5 hours flew by, and while we had been planning on going dancing at the Vogue or Mercury afterward, we were too stuffed and mellow to stand the latest Laibach knock-offs. Every so often, money and waistlines must be ignored.

I took my wife to Le Gourmand for her birthday last night, where we had local mussels in a wine sauce with nasturtiums; a composed salad of local greens, asparagus, endive, radicchio, more; I had wild salmon wrapped in grape leaf with their signature gooseberry and dill sauce (the gooseberries coming from the owner/chef's personal garden just down the road), while the love of my life had duck breast in a smoky morel sauce. My dessert was eastern Washington strawberries with rum-soaked cake and an amazing vanilla ice cream, while the girl I gave up Lent for had a pistachio cake with yoghurt sorbet and some kind of sauce.

We had a bottle of wine, what it was I can't remember, but it was French! Yeah, that's it, and from 2002! The kicker was having grappa as a digestif after it all, from a third generation grappa maker whose grandfather made straw hats but had a still on a cart that he would take around to the farmers for their skins, pits and stems. It was the first grappa my heart's desire had ever had. Ohhh, did her eyes light from the delicate rocket fuel.

No point to this, except to note that the 3.5 hours flew by, and while we had been planning on going dancing at the Vogue or Mercury afterward, we were too stuffed and mellow to stand the latest Laibach knock-offs. Every so often, money and waistlines must be ignored.

Just wanted to brag and say duck breasts in morel sauce is one of my specialities. And We drink grappa all the time (a bottle of the good stuff can be bought for close to nothing here, 50 kms from the Italian border).

--------------"Hail is made out of water? Are you really that stupid?" Joe G

"I have a better suggestion, Kris. How about a game of hide and go fuck yourself instead." Louis

"The reason people use a crucifix against vampires is that vampires are allergic to bullshit" Richard Pryor

--------------"But it's disturbing to think someone actually thinks creationism -- having put it's hand on the hot stove every day for the last 400 years -- will get a different result tomorrow." -- midwifetoad

I'm just having a dos equis for dinner. I had huevos rancheros for breakfast, how about this again for dinner? I suppose that I should eat food. :)

What's wrong with your Dos Equis barley soup? Too cold? :-)

"Stay thirsty, my friend."

--------------"But it's disturbing to think someone actually thinks creationism -- having put it's hand on the hot stove every day for the last 400 years -- will get a different result tomorrow." -- midwifetoad

Just saying, Louis, that it is quite cruel to ply someone with some kind of Chinese liquor that "has a kick" then give that person chopsticks to eat. I hope you remember that you were amused.

Shao Shing is perfectly good for you. It puts hairs on your chest and lead in your pencil. Or lead in your chest and hairs on your pencil...either way it's medicinal I'm sure.

Louis

So, who ended up with a pillow clenched between their teeth and who was yelling "Take it, bitch?"

--------------It's natural to be curious about our world, but the scientific method is just one theory about how to best understand it. We live in a democracy, which means we should treat every theory equally. - Steven Colbert, I Am America (and So Can You!)

--------------"But it's disturbing to think someone actually thinks creationism -- having put it's hand on the hot stove every day for the last 400 years -- will get a different result tomorrow." -- midwifetoad

BBQ all day long at a historic landmark - Sloss Furnace in Birmingham: pork ribs, pork shoulder, chicken leg quarters. And antelope sausage. Assorted grilled peppers, just had an Anaheim. Dill pickles with serrano peppers. Smoked Italian sausage and hot Italian sausage from the Cajun Cleaver. A fair sampling of Good People IPA, and some rare beers. No brisket like those sissy Texas wannabes.

--------------"Following what I just wrote about fitness, you’re taking refuge in what we see in the world." PaV

I don't know if others have home grown tomatoes available. If you have I thoroughly recommend the Catalan way of using up over-ripe fruit - Pan con Tomate!

You need.

Thick slices of bread - a robust country bread like ciabata is good, very ripe (preferably from the garden) tomatoes, garlic (new seasons if poss) cold-pressed olive oil, coarse-grain salt and a pepper grinder.

Toast or barbecue (or à la plancha!) bread slices and pass round (this is DIY) rub one side of bread with peeled garlic clove (to taste but if you don't like garlic, best not bother at all). Halve tomatoes (across vertical axis) and rub into bread so that it absorbs the pulp. Again if really ripe (preferably just picked and still warm from the sun, at the very least, ripe) tomatoes aren't available don't bother. Add a drizzle of olive oil, pinch of salt, (grind of pepper optional). Great as an appetizer at a BBQ. Needs a young robust (but not oaked) red wine, merlot or malbec, not pinot noir.

I have heard some suggest the olive oil goes on the bread before the tomato is rubbed in. The idea is that it is less messy that way. This is heresy. It's supposed to be messy.

Olive oil before the tomato (or even garlic) defeats the whole purpose, as it makes the bread soggy and prevents garlic and tomato grinding*. But I oftentimes prepare this type of appetizer. I mix it with home made tapenade (250 gr of pitless black olives, 4 anchovy filets, 5 cloves of garlic and a table spoon of olive oil. Mix in a blender and spread it on toasted bread).

Yesterday night I made a coquelet with oven spuds. I wanted to try something new for the spud dressing, so I mixed 12 cl of soja cream with 3 slices of burger cheddar and some parsley, slowly heated on a low fire. The result was a well defined success.

*Insert dirty joke here.

--------------"Hail is made out of water? Are you really that stupid?" Joe G

"I have a better suggestion, Kris. How about a game of hide and go fuck yourself instead." Louis

"The reason people use a crucifix against vampires is that vampires are allergic to bullshit" Richard Pryor

My favourite barbequeueueueue so far this summer has been sirloin burgers on grilled texas garlic bread with mozzarellla and pesto. Quaint but satisfying.

--------------"But it's disturbing to think someone actually thinks creationism -- having put it's hand on the hot stove every day for the last 400 years -- will get a different result tomorrow." -- midwifetoad

Figured it was about time for me to contribute something to the Thread of Food-Like Substances; what this is, is my standard dish for potlucks and similar 'contribute to the feast' gatherings. It has always been well received.

Dutch Baby, or, the Pancake of Doom

Needed equipmentA paella pan. If you're not sure what that is, look for a round, shallow, wide pan with a flat bottom and sloping sides; any pan which fits that description should do nicely.Eggbeater. I heartily recommend an electric beater, but if you prefer a manual eggbeater, that's your business.Functioning oven. You'll want the pan to have a lot of empty space above it, so arrange the cooking racks accordingly.

InstructionsStart pre-heating the oven. 375 degrees Fahrenheit, or 190 degrees Celsius for those of you who live in a country that's gone metric.Use the eggbeater to blend the eggs together into a yellowish goop. Set the beater/blender on 'high'; you want to force a bunch of teeny little air bubbles into the batter in colloid suspension.Add the milk to said goop, blending all the while.Stir/blend the flour into the egg/milk proto-batter.After the oven reaches the desired temperature, put the butter in the pan, and then put the pan in the oven.Keep stirring/blending whilst the butter is hotting up.When the butter is completely melted, pour the batter into the pan.Cook for about 12 minutes, or until the batter is a friendly golden-brown with inviting 'hills' billowing up from its surface.When the pancake is done, its edges should be rising/curling up like a big bowl (see also: "empty space above the pan"). Together with the billowy hills in the center, it's quite impressive-looking.Carve that sucker up like a pizza pie. Serves as many as 8-12, depending on how big you make the slices.

VariationsThe recipe scales up or down, depending on the size of the pan you're gonna cook it in. Let N be the number of quarts (liters) of water your pan can hold; you'll want N eggs, N/4 cups (N * 60-odd ml) of milk, N/4 cups (N * 60-odd ml) of flour, and N ounces (N * 30 g) of butter (up to a maximum of N=4 -- as long as you've got enough butter to 'wet' most of the pan's bottom when said butter melts, you should be good to go). Yes, the recipe above assumes a pan that holds four quarts. Personally, I use a six-quart pan, hence I need 6 eggs and 1.5 cups apiece of milk and flour; when it's done, I slice it into 16 bits like any self-respecting hacker-type would.Margarine can be substituted for butter with little/no ill effect.The butter gives it enough flavor (salt) that this can be eaten as it stands. At the same time, the recipe is sufficiently 'neutral' that you can get away with adding a wide variety of other ingredients, if you like; you can add sliced hotdogs to the pre-cooking batter, or slather fruit preserves on the finished pancake, or add pretty much anything else within arm's reach of 'edible', really.I've been told that this recipe is basically "Yorkshire pudding without the drippings". This phrase may inspire some ideas amongst those of you who are more familiar with British cuisine than I am.I have tried using ground-up rice in place of wheat flour. The taste is pretty much unaffected; the resulting rice-based pancake is somewhat... 'heavier', I suppose is the best way to describe it... than the usual wheat-based version. Key point: Make sure the rice is thoroughly reduced to powder before you stir it into the batter! To whatever extent the rice kernels remain kernels rather than powder, your pancake is gonna have some real dense pockets in it.